Summary

Based on 2008 statistics, esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer worldwide, with nearly a half-million new cases each year and >400000 deaths. On the other hand, gastric cancer is currently not as prevalent in the United States as it was before, with an estimated 22220 cases and 10990 deaths in 2014, as US incidence has been declining steadily since the introduction of refrigeration. This article provides an overview of current approaches to the treatment of esophageal cancer, and reviews the epidemiology, biology, and patterns of failure for gastric cancer.